We showcase some of the UK’s leading creative practitioners and create opportunities for local artists to collaborate with them. This is made possible through our festival partnerships.

Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) 2015

HIFA provides a platform that showcases the very best of local, regional and international arts and culture in a comprehensive festival programme of theatre, dance, music, circus, street performance, spoken word and visual arts. Since its inception in 1999, the festival has received recognition for its support of the arts and culture in Zimbabwe and is seen as a major contributor to development in this area.

In the spirit of fostering cultural exchange across art sectors, British Council Zimbabwe continues to partner with HIFA. Through the festival we showcase the best of UK arts while forging creative collaborations and partnerships which open up professional opportunities for young Zimbabwean artists.

In 2015 British Council Zimbabwe supported HIFA with three exciting shows that are fun, thought provoking, educational and informative.

Dance - "A VICE IN HARLEM": Birdgang Dance Company present "A VICE IN HARLEM" which is an exciting amalgamation of some of the Company's Best Works.

HELA Theatre Production: An astonishing story about ethics, equality and ownership of our DNA.

Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo

This arts festival takes place in the second city of Zimbabwe - Bulawayo. The festival started off as a community based initiative, but has now grown into the second biggest festival in the country. British Council’s involvement in the festival is motivated by building new audiences for various arts productions and genres from the United Kingdom as well as supporting local artists and in turn promoting sustainable livelihoods.

Shoko Festival

Shoko Festival is Zimbabwe’s fastest growing international festival and has established itself as a major event on Zimbabwe’s annual arts calendar. Shoko is a vibrant space that hosts everything from live concerts, comedy nights, talks and discussions, to cutting edge presentations on tech and new media.

Shoko is a living experiment in urban culture, free expression and positive social change. It is about breaking down the barriers between media, culture and activism to create dialogue, progress and cutting edge new urban culture.